The New Wave ~ Rare
The New Wave is Campaign Brief’s Q&A series spotlighting the next generation of independent creative companies and exploring how the indie model is evolving. From structure and speed to culture and capability, we unpack where these businesses are finding their edge and what’s driving client decisions today. Next up is Rare.
Give us the elevator pitch – who are you and what do you do?
We’re a fiercely independent agency of 50 people (and one chihuahua) working from WA. With our fully integrated approach we work with local and national clients to make brands more human. We’ve been part of the ‘new wave’ for 21 years.
Are indies still challengers, or have they become the norm?
When Rare first launched, indies set out to challenge the stale status quo of the networks who were starting to take their market position for granted. Now, we’re seeing a second wave: highly regarded creatives going out on their own, searching for what networks can’t deliver in life or work. The dynamic has shifted from challenging the client offering to challenging the employee offering. In this industry, whether you’re in WA or anywhere across the globe, “challenge” in some shape or form will always be the norm.
What’s your unfair advantage over the networks today?
The freedom to take risks. We can decide which direction we want to push and how far. That applies to the bold work we create, but also to our business, recruitment and cultural decisions. We aren’t steered by global financial mandates, so we can genuinely put our people first and treat them like humans, not line items on a balance sheet. That independence naturally bleeds into our client relationships – we’re practically and emotionally invested in their long-term goals, which builds the deep trust required to present and defend unexpected thinking.
How are you using AI to compete above your weight?
AI has levelled the playing field, stripping away the oversized admin, technology and systems burdens that used to give networks an operational edge. Studio size is no longer a barrier to scaling up for larger projects. Beyond the basics, we use AI to supplement human thinking – buying our team the time and space to let their minds wander aimfully, without the looming threat of network-mandated staff replacements hanging over their heads.
What kind of clients are choosing indies right now – and why?
The creative success of independents in recent years has made us hard to ignore. While there are still a few clients holding onto legacy network attachments, most are tiring of the templated offering and looking around for something completely different. Given the scale and rate of consolidation happening across the networks; both globally and locally, clients are rightly wanting choice in who they partner with, and Indies are thriving. Once they experience the “other side” and see indies delivering at the highest level, they rarely go back.
What’s next – growth, staying lean, or something else?
As always, we’ll assess each opportunity as it arises. We won’t grow for the sake of growth. But if it’s right for Rare and for our people, we’ll give anything a crack.
Check out the other New Wave Q&As below:
Read The Fuel Agency’s Q&A here
Read Rethink Everything’s Q&A here
Read Agency Named Desire’s Q&A here
Read The Digital Picnic’s Q&A here
Read Paper Stone Scissors’ Q&A here
Read Curious Nation’s Q&A here
Read cummins&partners’ Q&A here
Read Connecting Plots Group’s Q&A here
Read Jacko Jacko & Jacko’s Q&A here
Read Chimera Project’s Q&A here
Read Today The Brave’s Q&A here
Read Tightknit Studio’s Q&A here
Read Bastion Australia’s Q&A here
Read We Are Different’s Q&A here
Read SICKDOGWOLFMAN’s Q&A here
Read Kill Boring Dead’s Q&A here
Read Oblong Creative’s Q&A here
Read The Many Australia’s Q&A here
Read Bureau of Everything’s Q&A here
Read Art of the Possible ANZ’s Q&A here
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